


thawing on the brink

by TheSpaceCoyote



Series: Bad Things Happen Bingo [21]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Blood and Injury, Crash Landing, Humorous Ending, Hurt Armitage Hux, Hurt/Comfort, Hypothermia, Implied Sexual Content, M/M, Mildly Dubious Consent, Pre-Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Protective Kylo Ren, Sharing Body Heat, Survival
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-06
Updated: 2019-08-06
Packaged: 2020-08-10 09:41:14
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,742
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20133352
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheSpaceCoyote/pseuds/TheSpaceCoyote
Summary: When Kylo and Hux's shuttle crashes into the side of a mountain on Starkiller Base, knocking the general unconscious, Kylo must do his best to keep the both of them sheltered from the oncoming storm as well as warm enough to stave off hypothermia.He gets creative.





	thawing on the brink

**Author's Note:**

> Just a small hypothermia-based drabble to help me get caught up on KyluxXOXO Summer prompts! Done for week five's prompt and making a bingo with cloud, cave, and belt!
> 
> Kylo does touch Hux while he's unconscious in this fic, and while it doesn't progress very far, if thats not something you're okay with then don't read this one. 
> 
> Otherwise, enjoy! It starts off dramatic but ends a bit silly.

Kylo didn’t know if General Hux was going to survive for much longer. 

Given that, he couldn’t wrap his head around why he hadn’t just undone the belts keeping the general bound to his back and shed the excess weight already. It’d make the climb up the perilous mountainside, in search of proper shelter, a hell of a lot easier if Kylo only had himself to worry about. What's more, Hux’s head kept lolling on his limp neck and shifting the pair’s center of gravity, and his dangling legs and arms swayed and knocked into Kylo as he clawed his way up the rock face. 

If not for the occasional wisp of warm breath against his ear, Kylo would’ve assumed Hux had already passed, either from his wound or the cold or a combination of the two. When Kylo had found him after the crash he’d been completely unconscious, lying flat on his back half-buried in the snow. There hadn’t been any time to tend to potential injuries Kylo couldn’t see at a glance. It was entirely possible that Hux was wounded far beyond help, and should probably be left to his own devices, especially if it meant increasing Kylo’s already diminishing survival odds.

And _ yet_—cruel as he was to his enemies as well as his allies, Kylo couldn’t bring himself to unbuckle the extended belts wrapped around his torso and let Hux fall. If he concentrated, Kylo could still sense a flicker of Hux’s life force inside him—faint and wavering, yes, but persistent. 

Of course someone like Hux wouldn’t die so easily. He was tougher than he looked, but just as much of a nuisance as his furtive, disdainful features usually suggested. If Kylo _did _ decide to just let him fall and be rid of him for good, he suspected Hux would surely find a way to come back in some form and nag him until Kylo too keeled over from the aggravation alone. 

Above him, the howling winds whipped dark clouds about the peak. A storm was brewing—no—was already here. Snow flurried down the mountainside, catching in Kylo’s hair and getting in his eyes. His own skin was so cold that the flakes that landed upon it didn’t immediately melt. Kylo licked a couple from his cold, pink lips as he continued to climb up the steep incline, knowing if he faltered or stepped on a loose rock both he and Hux would fall to their deaths. 

Kylo wasn’t about to let that happen. 

He stopped briefly once he found a steady enough position, letting his eyes fall closed. Despite the cold the Force readily hummed inside of him, its presence reassuring as always. In his mind’s eye, he could see a cave bored into the side of the mountain, its opening settled safely on a ledge only a couple more meters above them. There was no guarantee it’d save them from the cold, but at the very least it would provide shelter from the worsening storm. 

Kylo could only hope that any rescue efforts sent after the crashed shuttle would scour the mountainside for all potential signs of life. He would rather not become entombed in such an unremarkable place. He imagined that was not what a man like Hux would want either. 

He opened his eyes, taking a deep breath that fogged up the air in front of him. Dense flurries of snow rained down upon Kylo's head, catching on his lashes and collecting in the corners of his eyes as he squinted. The wind built to a vicious keen as it ripped at his robes and long hair, sending them whipping against his body and face. He dug his fingers into the rocky handholds as the storm tried to tear him away from the cliffside. Melted sleet had soaked through the worn leather, numbing the digits down to the bone. 

Kylo hissed a swear through his chattering teeth. He needed to get to the cave quickly, before he could no longer properly hold on. 

The Force thrummed through his body, lending strength to supplant his waning stamina. Kylo grunted as he heaved himself upwards, toes of his boots digging into previously carved handholds. Hux let out a soft moan as his head lolled against Kylo’s shoulder, jostled by the increased pace. The belts binding him to Kylo’s back slipped a bit, gravity pulling at his limp body, eager to swallow him up. 

Kylo clenched his jaw, muscles in his arms and back burning despite the aid of the Force as he rapidly scaled the cliffside. He wouldn’t let Hux fall. Not now, not when he was so _ close. _

So with one final, primal roar so thunderous it managed to echo above the howling wind, Kylo gripped the edge of the cliff and pulled with all his might. Breath slit madly between his teeth as he levered himself and Hux up, heart throbbing so hard he felt he might choke on it.

But just as Kylo pulled himself halfway over the rim one of his footholds crumbled, nearly causing him to lose his balance. He dug his fingers deep into the ledge and clung on tight, kicking a new hole between two solid rocks protruding out from the cliffside without missing a beat. With the adrenaline pumping through his veins and the Force bolstering his muscles, Kylo mustered the last ounce of strength he needed to pull himself up and over the brink and onto the ledge proper. 

He gasped as he slumped against solid ground, clouding the air with a series of painful coughs as he curled halfway onto his side. For a moment he could do nothing more than lay there, robes and cowl spread around him like a ragged blot of ink in the snow swirling around him. 

Kylo's body screamed at him to _ rest_, but he pushed past its desires. The storm was still lashing the mountainside, worsening by the moment. If he stayed out here he and Hux would be quickly buried in the snow to be found as frozen corpses come rescue. So after a moment of hoarse, steadying breathing, Kylo braced his hands underneath his body and rolled back onto his belly. Hux weighed heavily against his spine, hands falling on both sides of Kylo’s ribs to brush against the snow below. His life force wavered in the harsh winds, but still it burned. Intrigued by its persisting warmth, Kylo reached out to it in his mind, using his own vitality to tether Hux's, to cradle it with invisible hands. 

_ Just a little longer_. _ Hang on. Please. _

Ahead of him, the cave from his vision cut into the side of the mountain, yawning like a great, deep-blue maw in a face of craggy white. Kylo panted, unable to muster enough strength to push himself up onto two legs. With Hux still strapped to his back, now facing the stormy sky above, Kylo crawled, dragging both himself and the general towards the mouth of the cave. 

He collapsed with a grunt once they finally both lay sheltered out of the storm, strength almost waned to its shatter point. With trembling hands Kylo managed to undo both of their belts, letting Hux flop off his back and onto the floor. It granted him momentary relief, allowing Kylo to roll over to face the general and take proper stock of his condition. 

Hux didn’t look good. For a moment, Kylo’s already pounding heart jumped even higher in his throat as he placed a hand in front of Hux’s nose. At first he felt nothing so he stripped off his sodden glove and brushed his fingers against the general’s upper lip. Only then did he feel it—a slight kiss of breath, weak as the flame of Hux’s life force, but still fighting. Still burning against the darkness around it. 

However, if the general was going to survive until rescue arrived, he would need more help. 

Kylo wanted nothing more than to rest now that he and Hux were properly sheltered, but the cave provided little warmth even though it protected them from the brunt of the storm outside. Kylo’s muscles strained as he pushed himself up to his knees, wracking his brain as he stared down at Hux’s chilly, bone-white face and stained uniform. 

Kylo patted his own clothing down, feeling for damp spots where the snow had melted and refrozen against the fabric. His outer layers were cold to the touch but the inner lining remained warm from his own body heat. They were thicker than his usual robes, specifically designed for the arctic climate of Starkiller Base. Obviously, they weren’t intended for prolonged exposure, but they would probably provide a lot more comfort than the thin, formal layers Hux wore. Kylo had no idea what had happened to his greatcoat—the thick gaberwool would serve them well right now. Perhaps it’d been lost aboard the shuttle. 

_ Along with his helmet_, Kylo thought with a grimace. Hopefully they could return to the wreckage later to salvage it. 

But there was little time to waste dwelling on the items lost in the crash. If Kylo didn’t act quickly, Hux would continue freezing to death—and he himself probably wouldn’t survive for long after. 

Kylo pulled his cowl off first before shrugging out of his first layer of robes. He laid those on the floor to shield their backs from the chilliness of the stone, before balling up the cowl as a makeshift headrest. His tunic and inner robes were far warmer, lined with plush material, and those he set aside. The cold air tingled on Kylo’s now bare arms and shoulders, with only pants and an undershirt covering him up. 

Undressing Hux was a little more difficult, especially with his numb fingers. Kylo hurried through it, nearly breaking Hux's zipper as he yanked it down over his chest. He averted his eyes once he managed to pull off the general’s padded undershirt, leaving him in only his briefs and black singlet. Kylo could practically hear the general admonishing him in his mind for witnessing so much forbidden skin. 

As soon as Hux lay atop the improvised cot of robes and cowl Kylo slid in beside him. He dragged the pile of remaining clothing atop both of their bodies, then finally shimmied out of his pants and undershirt and lost them into the folds of the “bed.” 

The mound of fabric created meager warmth but warmth nonetheless, and trapped any body heat from escaping. After a moment of fidgeting with the fabric and doubting his next move, Kylo turned onto his side and pressed his chest against Hux’s back. 

The Force kindled Kylo’s inner warmth, allowing him to share it with Hux as he held him close. He rubbed his hands along the general’s frigid forearms, even daring to slip one leg between Hux’s thighs as he molded their bodies together as best as he could. Kylo couldn’t quite stave off the blush coloring his cheeks as he tucked Hux’s head underneath his chin—it was a compromising position, to be sure, and if Hux were conscious he certainly wouldn’t be happy about it. 

_ Better than freezing to death, though_, Kylo thought as he tipped his lips towards the damp crown of Hux’s hair. _ If you have any sense at all when you wake up, you’ll thank me_.

Hux groaned, as if trying to respond to Kylo’s silent lecture. For now, he’d take it as agreement, perhaps an apology for the rudeness of his past behavior. 

Satisfied with the current position, Kylo snuggled into the impromptu nest and the body in his arms. His palms settled over the back of Hux’s hands, keeping them carefully cupped together. His delicate fingers twitched in Kylo’s grasp, curling inwards. He could feel Hux’s breathing through his back, rising and falling against his chest as it finally started to stabilize thanks to the cocoon of warmth around them. 

Kylo swallowed, unable to ignore how _ good _ Hux’s body felt pressed up against his. 

_ Stars_. There really wasn’t much to him beneath the uniform, was there? Hux could never dream to match Kylo’s breadth, but he hadn’t realized exactly how much more slender he was until now. 

And still so _ cold_, even with Kylo’s body heat and the pile of clothes on top of him. Kylo released Hux’s hands, pressing his palm against the general’s chest. His pulse thrummed weakly, but Hux’s depressed body temperature still worried him. He was so cold, even with the shelter and covering and the presence of another human. 

Kylo worried his lip. _ What more could he do other than hope for swift rescue? _If only the Force could help him start a fire, not that there were any combustible materials nearby. 

As his hand retreated away from Hux’s chest, Kylo’s finger accidentally skimmed one of his nipples through the singlet. Kylo jerked away, embarrassed, not expecting Hux to let out a soft little groan at the touch. His pale, waxy cheeks reddened further at the sound, and as Kylo felt his whole face heat up he was suddenly struck with an idea. 

He almost immediately shot it down. No. He couldn’t. This was Hux. _ General _ Hux. Kylo might have saved his life out of some bizarre sense of guilt but he still didn’t particularly like him. He _ certainly _ didn’t possess anything at all resembling physical attraction towards him. Unthinkable. Impossible. Hux was a weaselly, supercilious shred of a man and a change in outward appearances could never hope to change that. No matter how elegantly slender Hux was under his uniform, or how pale, almost translucent his skin looked, or how wonderful, _ musical _ his moans sounded—

Kylo cursed under his breath as his cock suddenly twitched with interest. New warmth pooled in his loins, quickly spreading outwards and starting to thaw out his core. A full body shiver rattled up Kylo’s spine, little puffs of air slipping out of his mouth as the fledgling spark of arousal battled the chill settled deep in his bones. Kylo could feel his cock filling, beginning to harden to its full length. If he grabbed it, got the blood flowing more freely, he’d warm back up in no time. 

As would Hux. 

Kylo turned his attention back towards the unconscious general. He stroked Hux’s side as he thought, working his tongue between dry lips. _ Surely he wouldn’t mind? If it meant warming him up. Saving his life. _

Kylo craned his neck, breath on Hux’s ear. He thought he felt the general start to shiver as he skated fingers over his hip bone, traveling down the smooth curve to his lower belly. He felt a bristle of hair trailing down from Hux’s navel and followed it. Kylo dug his teeth into his lower lip as he shifted his hips in closer, brushing his hardening length against Hux’s ass. He was soft here, too. Kylo knew his cock would feel amazing pressed flush against the general’s skin. _ Inside him_…

Kylo blinked rapidly and shook his head. His brush with death in the freezing weather must have made him delirious. Considering this course of action was madness, suicide for their already tenuous professional relationship. But Hux was so cold and Kylo felt so warm—so warm he might burst if he held back. He needed to share it. Now. 

Kylo had just started to curl his hand around the base of Hux’s cock, heart hammering in his ears with anticipation and need, when a weak, but clearly affronted voice cut across his thoughts.

“The..._hell _ are you doing, R-Ren?”

* * *

By the time rescue arrived, Hux had fully regained consciousness. The dispatch of troopers, led by Captain Phasma herself, found the co-commanders both sitting upright in a makeshift nest of their own clothing, a conscious amount of space separating them. Kylo had his face hidden in the folds of his own cowl, curled up like a chastised child, while the general looked pointedly away from him towards the wall of the cave, cheeks brightly flushed and lips set in a sour, slightly ashamed frown. 

Wisely, the troopers decided not to call attention to their superiors’ compromising position, instead waving the emergency medic through to tend to their injuries. Phasma, however, couldn’t resist a suggestive tilt of her helmet towards Hux, Kylo’s snow-streaked and slightly battered mask tucked under the arm not cradling her rifle. 

“You look very warm, sir.”

**Author's Note:**

> Did Hux let Kylo help "warm him up" after all? It's up to you (but if you trust my opinion, he totally did). 
> 
> I've missed doing hurt and injury stuff! Got another fic similar to this coming down the pipeline. Hope you all liked this one!
> 
> Hit me up on [Tumblr](http://thethespacecoyote.tumblr.com) and [Twitter](https://twitter.com/heir_of_breath7/).


End file.
